Previously, many types of pool cleaners have been used in endeavoring to provide an effective means for producing a pulsating effect with a submersible pulsating pool cleaner to propel the sweep of cleaner around the pool bottom and sides using the suction of the pool cleaner pump for removing debris and foreign matter from the swimming pool. A myriad of types of cleaners and sweeps have been employed in the past causing the interruption of induced flow due to kinetic energy of the water flow transferring force to the cleaner using the inertia of the fluid, which in turn promotes the desired linear movement and propulsion.
The prior art listed below did not disclose patents that possess any of the novelty of the instant invention; however the following U.S. patents are considered related:
InventorIssue DateU.S. Pat. No.4,742,593KallenbachMay 10, 19885,033,148Chauvier et al.Jul. 23, 19915,337,433Gould et al.Aug. 16, 19945,384,928KhouryJan. 31, 19955,634,229StoltzJun. 3, 19975,604,950StemFeb. 25, 19975,655,246ChangAug. 12, 19976,098,228ChangAug. 8, 20006,615,864 B2ChangSep. 9, 2003Patent ApplicationPublication2006/0042688SeborMar. 2, 2006
U.S. Pat. No. 4,742,593 issued to Kallenbach discloses a valve member for a water interruption pool cleaner installed with the operating head between an open mouth and the hose connection. The valve has a tubular body of flexible material that assumes a collapsed condition over a segment thereof in absence of a pressure differential across the wall. Along the collapsed segment, the body has diverging interior walls in the direction of water flow. Longitudinal ribbing on each side of the body may be provided for reinforcement.
Chauvier et al. in U.S. Pat. No. 5,033,148 teaches a pool cleaner with a flapper valve that pivotally displaces to transfer water flow from one passage to another automatically. A bypass valve is required to regulate the suction pressure.
Gould et al. teaches in U.S. Pat. No. 5,337,433 a valve having an entrance mouth with one or more single acting closure lips pivoting between open and closed position. The lips are drawn into full closure by the suction of the pool pump and open when the bias is substantially less than the closing force.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,384,928 issued to Khoury is for a valve for a pool cleaner which is suitable for use in a fluid controlled swimming pool cleaner. The valve is made of a resiliently deformable material having a tubular core with a fastening formation near one end and a mushroom shaped annular flexible component at an opposite end.
Stoltz in U.S. Pat. No. 5,634,229 discloses a cleaner with two inlet openings each having a valve with jaw-like lips of a flexible material biased in an open position by its inherent elasticity and resiliency. The lips close under negative pressure and reopen due to the material establishing its inherent memory.
Stern in U.S. Pat. No. 5,604,950 teaches cleaner with a suction nozzle having a body with a throat extending from an inlet at one end to an outlet on the other. The body is split into a number of discrete portions forming a throat. One body portion is moveable allowing the throat to automatically expand in response to movements of other body portions. The resulting expansion of the nozzle allows unrestricted passage of large foreign objects through the throat during the operation of the suction cleaning device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,655,246 issued to Chang is my first patent which has structure upon which improvements of the instant invention are based afforded by prototype development and exhaustive testing over the past decade. This patent discloses a pulsating submergible pool cleaner with a hollow body connected to a pool filtration pump through a flexible hose. An integrated reed valve and relief valve receive the full flow of water from the pump with the valve closing forcing the relief valve to open generating hydraulic cyclic pulsations. An inlet mounting foot is attached to the body and a debris removing disc is connected therebetween. Debris is removed and ingested into the cleaner by the scrubbing action of the disc combined with high velocity water flow entering the body under the disc through adjustable passageways.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,228 of Chang is for a diaphragm valve for a pool cleaner which utilizes a conventional cleaning head attached with a mounting foot to a cleaning disc. A screen is inserted into the foot and an outer sleeve is mounted within the head leaving a gap in between. A restricting jacket is mounted on the sleeve and is urged into a position that restricts a water flow path from the gap by an adjustable bypass valve superimposed on the jacket, a compression spring maintains the jacket position and a valve diaphragm receives pool water from a pool pumping system and oscillates open and closed causing the cleaner to be propelled by hydraulic pulsation.
Chang in U.S. Pat. No. 6,615,864 B2 is my most recent prior art patent which improvements in the reed valve have been taught and are included in the instant invention in part. The reed valve utilizes a pair of opposed rigid valve plates. The rigid valve plates are angularly juxtaposed within the valve inlet end which contiguously rest upon a fulcrum and restricting boundaries therefore opposed blades rotate inwardly on the fulcrum point until distal ends engage each other when negative pressure is applied. Torsion springs surround each restricting boundary and interface with each valve plate returning them to a parallel position when fluid pressure is terminated. A resilient sleeve is positioned on each spring eliminating a metal to metal contact with the valve plate.
Patent Application Publication No. 2006/0042688 of Sebor teaches a fluid flow regulator for use in pool suction cleaners. A bypass is connected to a flow passage conduit injecting ambient fluid into the bypass flow passage. A valve operates within the bypass flow passage with a spring carried within the bypass passage urging the valve into a seated position. An adjustment knob acts upon the spring by modifying a biasing force urging the valve toward the seated position in opposition to pressure within the flow passage urging the valve into an open position.